


Way Down Hadestown (Reprise)

by LSims



Category: Hadestown - Mitchell
Genre: F/M, Fair warning this is depressing. But this is Hadestown so what do you expect?, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2020-07-29 02:17:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20074492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LSims/pseuds/LSims
Summary: Hadestown is a tale of seasons and love, but what about the seasons of the world we live in now?





	1. To The World We Live In Now

They say we’ll all be dead in ten years. Well, I say it’s sooner. I float in my pool, staring up at the sky. It’s completely cloudless, an empty expanse of blue, just like my soul. 

The water clings to my skin like fresh tar. It’s so warm you can’t even really consider it liquid, more like a heavy gas. The sweat is mixing in and I sigh. No use in torturing myself. Climbing out of the pool, I grab a bucket and try my best to drip the water into it, no use in being wasteful either. The remaining water soaks my body and temporarily gives me relief. I walk into the house to find my dad laying on the couch, watching the tv. Mom is running around the kitchen, scrambling to find something. 

“Hey.” I greet. Dad looks over and smiles. 

“I brought water.” I add, holding up my bucket. 

“You know what do.” He answers, going back to his watching. 

“Zoe, have you seen my purse?” Mom snaps, sunglasses askew on her face. 

“It’s behind the craft cabinet in the closet, where you usually hide it.” I answer her, pouring the water into the purifier. 

She thanks me and grabs it, heading out the door. I start the purifier and sit down with Dad. “No lunch?” I ask. 

“Mom’s getting it now.”

I nod. “What are you watching?”

”_That 70’s Show_.” 

My dad is one of the few people who can actually stand entertainment these days. I mean, it’s understandable. No one’s producing anything new, and who wants to watch the old stuff, having to reminisce in the good ol’ days? It’s depressing. And the news is useless, we’re all fully aware that our planet is dying and we might kill ourselves first in a war. What do we need a bunch of people who do nothing but cover our failure to inform us of what we already know?

I turn to Dad with a grin. “I’m hot.”

He grins back. “Well d*mn Zoe, I can’t control the weather.”

We loose it, doubled over, gasping for air. Are we effed up for being able to joke about the end of times? Probably, but these days, you take what you can get in that department. I watch with him until Mom gets back with lunch. We make chicken sandwiches and drink our now purified water. It’s simple, but I’m honestly surprised Mom found some chicken at all. 

I glance at the clock and look at Mom pleadingly. “Hey, can I take a walk?”

She gives me a look. “They say your shouldn’t be outside unless it’s necessary.”

”Yeah well, they said we needed to do something about Global Warming, and we didn’t listen to that, did we.” I mutter. I turn back to Mom. “I’ll bring the umbrella and inhaler.” 

She sighs. “Bring your phone too, Zoe.”

”Yes ma’am.”

* * *

I go heat watching. Yes, heat watching. It’s the most abundant thing out there since the people are all cooped inside, awaiting their deaths and the birds are pretty much extinct. It’s honestly pretty fascinating, watching it curl and dance on top of the asphalt, almost as if it’s keeping in tune with someone’s fiddle. Today, however, I’m joined by a man. 

He’s wearing a silver suit. Upon closer inspection, it almost matches his hair. God, he must be hot. “You’re crazy!” I call out. He turns as I approach him.

“Excuse me?”

”I said your crazy! How are you not burning up in that?”

He chuckles. “It’s light colored, so the silver reflects the light.”

”Ah.”

I sit beside him on the dirt. It’s hard, but everything is now, even our hearts. “I haven’t seen you around here before.”

”I’ve been traveling.”

I laugh. “Ah, so you’re one of _those people. _You wanna see everything before it all burns up.”

”You could say that.”

We sit silently for a few minutes, just watching the heat before I hold out my hand. “I’m Zoe.”

He shakes it. “Hermes.”

“Like the god?”

“You believe in them?”

I shrug. “Maybe. I’ve always wondered though, if there _is _something up there, why haven’t they tried to fix this?”

Hermes sighs. “What if I told you they didn’t care, thought it was fate?”

”Then I wouldn’t be surprised.”

We resume our watching. I find myself almost laughing, the heat has worked itself into an almost jig, it’s moving so fast. I start to cough and huff on my inhaler for a few moments. I notice that Hermes doesn’t have one, nor does he have an umbrella, which is both crazy and impossible. “It doesn’t get to you?” I ask.

”No.”

Hermes turns to me, with a curious look. “You know why it’s like this, Zoe?”

I scoff. “We all do. The Earth naturally traps Greenhouse Gasses, but because of human destruction and Greenhouse Gas emissions, we created to much emissions, and the atmosphere can’t hold it all, thus destroying the ozone layer, permanently increasing the Earth’s temperature, overflowing our oceans, and destroying human life.”

”What if I told you it’s more than that?”

I shake my head. “What do you mean?”

”You know the seasons?” 

“Yeah. The rotation of the Earth causes the seasons.”

”You said you might believe in the gods?”

”Maybe...”

”Well then let me tell you a story. You don’t have to believe it, but you do have to listen.”

I nod and scoot closer to Hermes. “I’m listening.”

“Long ago, the gods ruled the Earth. The three brothers, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, each rules one of the three domains. Zeus, the sky and heavens, Poseidon, the sea, and Hades, the Underworld. Each brother also took on the duties of each domain. Zeus cared for the sky and ruled the Earth with an iron fist, sending the winds blowing, the rain flowing, and the thunder and lightning crashing and flashing. Poseidon cared for the sea, sending the waves crashing, and the earthquakes shaking. And Hades, he cared for the Underworld, ruling the souls of the dead, collecting them from up above, keeping them in line. 

“As time went on, the other gods of the universe took claim to things too. They relieved the brothers of some of their duties, pledging their allegiances to them. Demeter took the harvest, keeping humans fed so that they could worship the gods, Thanatos claimed death itself, bringing the souls to Hades. Apollo took the sun, as well as music and healing. He controls the day and night, our need for tunes, our resilience. Aphrodite claimed our love, controlling our petty dramas, working hand in hand with the Fates. Hermes took the claim to be the messenger, delivering tales ‘round the whole world. Kahone took the snow, controlling our cold.”

”Snow? Cold? What’s that?” I joke. “I thought those were just stories.”

Hermes gives a sad smile and continues. “Now, Demeter had a daughter, Persephone, goddess of Springtime. Hades took a liking to Persephone, an unlikely pair, yes, but they fell in love. However, Demeter was angry that Persephone now lived with Hades, and she took her anger out on the Earth, turning the weather cold and harsh, the land infertile. Out of a longing for her mother and a loyalty to the people above, she reached an agreement with Hades, that she could spend six months with him, in the seasons you call Fall and Winter, and six months with her mother and the living, your Spring and Summer. Hades, however, grew lonely without his wife, and turned to the modernizing world around him. He became fascinated with industry, and thought it might be good for him to put the souls to work. And so he founded Hadestown, an eternal factory of work for the dead. He releaved Thanatos of his duties, recruiting people for his work himself. Though as Hadestown grew, Hades and Persephone’s once thriving marriage worsened, and as they fought, the Earth suffered the consequences. Hades grew controlling, and Persephone grew frustrated, drowning her sorrows in wine. Persephone came late and left early, and Spring and Fall disappeared. People grew hungry and wanted food, shelter, and work. They suddenly wanted to come to Hadestown themselves. Hades obliged best he could, made the train for people to board, handing out tickets when he could.

”But eventually, through the work of a poor boy, their marriage resolved. Spring and Fall came back, the seasons weren’t as harsh. But then Hadestown grew more crowded, as you always end up there eventually, and Hades grew overworked. He can’t even recruit people anymore, he just lets them come as they please. They walk or order an Uber, as the train don’t really run no more. Hades grew so consumed that he completely ignored Persephone, and she decided to live up here year round, and they no longer speak. That is why your Earth is dying, at least a part of it. What do you think?”

I stare. “I think...I need to find this Persephone. Do you know where she’d be?”

”You know the local bar? Check there.”

I nod. “Thank you, Mr. Hermes.”

He nods and I walk off. 

My phone dings and I see a text from Mom. _Head home now. _I sigh. I really wanted to talk to this Persephone. _Are you really going to abandon them because you want to yell at a goddess? She’s not going to listen to you, you’re wasting your precious time. _A voice in my head says. I gulp. It does sound pretty selfish. But at the same time, I’m doing it for them. I shove my phone in my pocket, huff into my inhaler, and head off to find a goddess.


	2. Livin’ It Up In Top

Technically, being eighteen, I shouldn’t be able to enter a bar. But do you honestly think they bother policing bars these days? Nobody would blame you, even if you can’t get beer anymore. And the bar owners welcome any money they can get, even if it’s from someone under twenty-one. Funny how you throw away your morals when you no longer have anything to live for. It’s the same reason you rarely come across vegans nowadays. 

I weave through the crowds and though I never even knew she existed before today, I can easily spot Persephone. She’s sitting at a back table, laughing with some people. I count at least five empty bottles, not including the bottle of whiskey she’s currently. It’s strange, but Persephone has this _aura _about her. I grab a chair and slide up to her table.

She raises her eyebrow at me. “Can I help you?”

”We need to talk.”

Persephone holds up her free hand. “I don’t even _know_ you, girl. The hell we need to talk about?”

”I’m Zoe. Now you know me.” I snap. “And I _know _that you need to get your crap together.”

”Excuse me?”

”Why are you _here_?”

The question takes a minute to register. Persephone glares and turns to her friends. “Sorry to break up our _wonderful _party, but little miss Zoe here is _clearly _more important. She takes a swig of her whiskey as they all clear out. She looks back at me with contempt. “First of all, why are _you _here, you’re like fifteen, and second of all, how I live my life is none of your business.”

“_First of all_, I’m eighteen, and second of all, it is when it affects mine.”

Persephone sighs. “You honestly believe that I’m responsible for this?” 

”I believe that somebody’s not doing their job.”

She snorts and takes another swig. “Sister, it ain’t my _job_ to make the seasons go round, I do it because I _want _to. I bring Spring and Summer with me ‘cause I want to. I return because I want to.”

”And,” she adds, “you humans used to be _grateful _for the warmth, _welcomed _it. I wonder what happened to that humbleness.”

I give a harsh laugh. “Look outside the window and take a guess!”

”You brought the cold too, you know. Why?”

Persephone gets a wistful look on her face. “I was loyal, in love. But sometimes you fall out of it. Your lover grows too consumed with his work, and you no longer matter. So you come back to where you do, and this time you _stay_.” 

“But it’s not supposed to be like this.” I push, leaning close to the woman. “You _know _that. We’re supposed to have _balance, four seasons. _We can’t live like this. And you know what happens when we all die? You stop being _worshipped._” 

Persephone smirks. “_I’ll _never stop being worshipped. I’m the Lady of The Underground. Everything else will be gone and I’ll still be standing.”

”_Were _the Lady.” I correct. “Now, I highly The dead even remember you.

”And how can you even be so _selfish? _Your mother’s the goddess of the harvest, right? I don’t think she’s doing to good in that department.”

Her face goes dark. “Look, you really wanna fix this? Then talk to my husband, in _Hadestown_.” 

I cross my arms. “Fine. How do I get there?”

”You know Hermes? Ask him.”

My mind was already racing. 

“I will.”


	3. We’re Gonna Sing It Again

Doubt rolled through my head as I typed on my laptop, researching. For the record, I had a plan. If Hades and Persephone’s dying love was also killing the planet, well, then I was gonna introduce them to the wonderful world of Marriage Counseling. My doubts were that my plan wasn’t very _good_. 

_Who do you think you _are? They asked. _Who are you to think you can make the world right again? You’re just an _eighteen year old girl, _do you _honestly _thinking the King and Lady of the _Underworld _are gonna listen to _your _crappy advice? You’re being incredibly _selfish_. You say you’re doing this for your family, but you’re only doing this for _yourself._ You and your _own satisfaction.

“Shut up!” I say out loud. “I _know _what I’m doing, and I _am _doing this for my family. I don’t give a crap about myself.”

I look at my parents. They’re sitting at the TV, watching _Bachelorette _reruns, and _laughing_. Most people, including myself, think my parents are nuts for remaining so positive in our world, but they don’t care. The way they see it, if we’re all gonna die, we might as well die enjoying ourselves. I disagree. If they’re gonna be happy, it’s gonna because they have a _reason _to be happy. Suddenly, I hear a scream cut the air. 

My parents and I look at each other. We rise and walk over to the window. Next door, Mrs. Denise is standing, horror struck, on her porch. We run over and Dad takes her hand. “Denise, what’s wrong?” It’s a stupid question. We all know what’s wrong. Her husband, Frank, had gone, died. 

Denise is sobbing. “H-he left a n-n-note!” She shudders. I read it. 

_ Denise, forgive me. I would have taken you with me, but I know you wouldn’t have gone. It’s for the best, I’ll have a better life down there. _

_All my love, Frank_

Dad holds the broken Denise and looks at Mom and me. “Can you girls go get the casserole?” He asks. Mom nods and guides me home. Normally, I would have mentioned something about sexism, but I know it’s not the time. 

* * *

Later that day, Dad and Mom are still at Denise’s. I lied about being tired to stay home, but really I’m scouting out Mr. Hermes.

I find him at the same place as last time, dressed the same too. “Hello, Mr. Hermes.” I greet. My tone must not have hid my solemness, because he frowns. “What’s wrong child?”

”My neighbor, Frank died, disappeared. And I spoke to Persephone. She was really annoying, actually. She said if I really wanna fix things, I’ve gotta get to Hadestown and talk to Hades. She said to ask you for directions?”

Hermes sighs. “You know why people disappear when they die? ‘Cause they’re goin’ to Hadestown, Zoe. And they _don’t come back. _You seriously wanna do this?”

”Yes.”

He sighs again. “How to get to Hadestown: You can either take the long way down and walk, or you can take an Uber. You’ll find Mr. Hades in his office in his Manor. Normally, you’d go through the waiting line to get your work contract, but since that’s not what you’re doin’, you’ve gotta sneak your way past the foremen and up to the manor.” 

I shrug. “Easy enough. I’ll talk to Hades, convince him to have sessions with me, go get Persephone and drag her down there, and solve Global Warming.”

”Zoe,” Hermes warns. “I don’t think you’re gettin’ the gravity of this. Once you get to Hadestown, you _don’t come back. _You’re stuck, _forever. _The dead can’t come back because they’re stuck down there. If you do this, you’ll _never see your family again. _

“Oh god...” The reality sinks in. “I...” But then I think of Frank and his note. The babies that don’t last more than six months. My own grandma, who died last year. I picture her and Frank, the babies, joined by a horde of people, like Zombies, walking off to their damnation. I think of my parents, who are oh, _so _happy. I swallow and stick out my chin. 

“No, I _have _to do this. If not for myself, then for my parents, for _the world_. I am going to be the _last _person who walks into Hadestown willingly.”

Hermes swallows and looks down. He mutters something about “singing it again.” He looks up at me and and squeezes my hand. “Good luck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is kinda boring. I didn’t have much time to write so it’s mostly filler. Better chapters later.


	4. Papers

It seemed to never end. Hadestown was an endless field of gray. Factories stretched out long past the horizon and mines towered up to the sky and dropped down just as far. People, _workers_, as the foreman called them, covered every free space, all rushing about to get something done. I wasn’t sure if I was starting at it in horror or awe. 

The line shuffled forward and rushed to keep up. I’d been looking for an opening for 15 minutes, but was yet to find one. I started to cross towards the actual the actual Hadestown when a guard stopped me.

”A-twenty-two.” He tells me. I look up, mentally scouting a route to the manor, then turn to the guard. “Yeah, so I don’t think this whole ‘work’ thing is gonna work out for me. I mean, have you _seen _my muscles? Yeah, didn’t think so.”

”A-twenty-two.” The guard repeats, slightly annoyed. I cross my arms. “I need to see Mister Hades first.”

”You’ll see him later. Now, report to A-twenty-two.”

”Yeah, I don’t—Hey! Someone’s trying to cross the Styx!” 

The second he turns his head, I scram.

_ Who do you think you are? Where do you think you’re going_? I just run, dodging foreman and guards, focusing on the bright, white manor growing closer in sight.

_Where even are you now? You don’t even know!_

I fling open a door and slam it shut behind me, rushing towards a lit stairwell. I enter a large, clean room, seemingly the kitchen. I quickly rush out and stop at the main stairs. Which way? I blindly guess left and barrel down the hall. 

I come across a room labeled _study_. I knock. 

“Come In.”

The man _has _to be Hades. He’s older, hair completely white, and he’s wearing a crisp, white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing a tattoo on his right arm. To say he’s surprised is an understatement. “Who the hell are you?”

”My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die.”

I laugh and walk up to him. “Jk, the name’s Zoe. I’ve come to introduce you and your wife to the wonderful world of marriage counseling.”

Hades scowls. “My wife’s not here.” 

“She will be.”

Mr. Hermes has informed me personally that he had talked to Persephone and, somehow, convinced her to come work with me. 

Right on cue, the door swings open, and Persephone barrels in. There’s a half-empty wine bottle in her hand, and she has a suitcase in the other. It drops to the floor with a loud thud and she sticks her finger close to my face. 

“I must say, I’m impressed you actually followed through with this.”

”Hello to you too.”

”So, where’s this counseling?”

I turn to both of them. 

“I was thinking we could have daily sessions, and see where you stand at the end of the month.”

I address Hades. “Sir, I know you like people to work for you, so I offer up my services. All I ask is that I get to live here while I council you.”

He sighs. “You’re really annoying.”

”Finally, we agree on something.” Persephone mutters. 

“Yay, progress!”

Hades slides me a piece of paper and a pen. “Write up your own contract.”

_Zoe, official Marriage Councilor of the Underworld. The sessions will be daily for 1 month and Zoe will be entitled to board with her clientele and have access to their amenities as she pleases. This contract will be signed on the Styx to ensure clientele cannot get out of it._

Hades begrudgingly signs the contract and Persephone follows. “When do we start?” She asks. 

“Now.”


	5. How Long

I studied the couple as they sat on the couch. Hades sat stiff as a board, turned towards Persephone as if in longing. Persephone lounges, back sunk into the couch, one leg propped up on the over. She's made a show of sitting as far away as possible from Hades, but I notice that her body isn't entirely turned away from him, either. She gives me a bored look, but I can see a clear yearning her eyes as well.

"So how does this whole counseling thing work, anyway?" She asks.

"Well, first of all," I start, "you've gotta get sober."

Persephone chokes "Ex_cuse_ me?" 

I repeat myself. "Get sober."

She snorts. "Sister, if you had to deal with _this _all day, you'd be chugging too."

"Maybe, but you haven't been down here in like ten years, so..."

"You know, I understand why father punished Dionysus with that summer camp, dealing with you brats is miserable."

I shrug. "You're the one who came down here and signed the contract."

Persephone leaps up and launches at me, sloshing wine on me and nearly poking my eye out. "Girl, you know who I _am_? I'm Persephone, _goddess_ of the_ Underworld_. With a snap of my fingers, I could melt your molecules into a flower that I would _gleefully _ tear to shreds, or, better yet, let the dead have a piece of you."

"They don't listen to you anymore, lover." Hades says from his seat. 

Persephone wheels on him, but I manage to jump in the middle. 

"Woah, let's not reenact the slaughter of Kronos." I say, gently pushing her back to her seat. I also manage to grab the wine bottle, which I dispose of. As tempting as it is to sneak a swig, I'm not giving Persephone the satisfaction of calling me a hypocrite.

She starts to say something, but I cut her off. "Look, that contract was signed on the Styx, right? I'm not sure what happens when a god breaks a Styx vow, but I'm sure it's not good. And, Persephone, _you_ came down here, right? I mean, you weren't required to. When you burst through that door, that meant that, whether or not you want to admit it, some part of you _wanted _to try."

She doesn't look at me, but she says "I guess."

I turn to Hades. "And you, sir, do _you _want to try? 'Cause I might as well give up now if you don't." 

He looks at his wife and nods. "I do."

"Good."

"Alright, so, ground rules." I look at both of them. 

"First, you _both _get a chance to spill the tea, so _don't _interrupt. Second, there will be no 'he said she said.' You are adults, not toddlers playing the blame game." I direct that last statement at Persephone. 

"Third, when you agree to try, _actually _try, don't just say you are. I live here, now, so you can't bee-ess me. Understand?"

"Understood." 

I rub my hands together. "Alright, now to the good stuff. Tell me about your relationship."

"What do you mean?" Hades asks. 

"Like, when did you first meet? How did you fall in love?"

He looks at Persephone. "Ladies first."

She sighs, but there's a wistfulness in her eyes. "Well, let's see. It was millenniums ago. I was in the fields, playing with my nymph friends, no older than sixteen. He came to me, hat in his hands, arms outstretched, on his knees. He begged me to have pity on him, his heart. He wanted me to let him lay me in the dirt. I looked at this man, so much older than me, yet acting like a silly young boy, and I--I felt my heart _swell_. We were laying there, his arms around me, and I agreed to let him take me home."

"But," she continued. "we were not married then. No, _that _happened _after _I ate the seeds, after I was _betrayed_. I was confined to this world then, only allowed to leave to keep from overpopulating. But, I suppose, I talked myself into believing I loved him, and maybe, maybe I did." She suddenly shakes her head. "But that was in another world, when I was young."

I write down some notes. " Thank you." I turn to Hades. "So, sir, what's your story?"

He starts. "I don't know how, or why, but, from the moment I saw Persephone, I knew I wanted to take her home. Shes was like someone I've always known. I was surprised when she accepted my offer to take her home, and it gave me hope. And, when I held her, it was like I was holding the _whole __world_ in my arms. I admit, I _should _have warned you about the pomegranates, but by then it was too late."

"Was it, or did you _let _me eat them, Hades? Did you _trick_ me, because you thought I would leave? I had to _beg _for our seasonal agreement!"

"I--" 

"Okay, good job, both of you. Your stories were touching. Anyhow, I'm gonna stop for the day, but I have a challenge for you."

"What is it?" Persephone asks.

"I want you both to try and be in the same room together for at least one hour. Obviously, you can leave to use the restroom, but you've gotta come straight back, okay? You don't have to speak to each other while together, or even acknowledge each other, but you _do _have to stay in the same room. You've been apart for so long, I think easing back into each other's presence will do you some good. Can you do it?"

They look at each other. "Yes."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow. Same time, same place."

And with that, I go off to enjoy my new amenities. 


	6. The Gods Have Forgotten the Song of Their Love

I must say, I was surprised when Mr. Hermes came to visit me. I was pacing my “office,” (the living room) waiting for Hades and Persephone to arrive and secretly hoping I wouldn’t have to track them down. 

“Miss Zoe!” He called.

I looked up and blushed. (No, not that way, gross!) “Mister Hermes? What’re you doing here?”

“Checkin’ on you. How’s it going so far?” He asked.

”Well, I haven’t been vaporized yet.” I answered. He laughed.

”I was wondering, could you tell me more about this ‘poor boy’ you keep mentioning?”

Hermes sighed. “I told myself I wasn’t gonna sing it anymore, but maybe this time...” He shakes his head and continues. “Orpheus was a poor boy, the son of a friend of mine, a muse. He was convinced he could write a song that would bring the world back into tune. Along the way, he fell in love with a young girl, Eurydice. But Orpheus...he was just as stubborn as Our Lady of the Underground. He and Eurydice wed, but Orpheus couldn’t provide, he kept insisting that he needed to finish his song. Eurydice was offered a ticket to Hadestown, and well, can you blame her for acceptin’? Now Orpheus, poor, poor Orpheus, he came back for Eurydice. He sang a song for Hades, to convince him to let them go. Hades was so moved that he said yes, but, as you know, being a man of business, said there was a catch. Orpheus had to walk in front of Eurydice, and he couldn’t look back to make sure she was behind until they had both reached the above, and, and Orpheus—was so overcome with anxiety that he—he—_failed_.”

Hermes took a moment to compose himself. “It wasn’t a complete failure though. He _did _make us see how the world could be, if only for a little while.” 

I take the story in as a familiar voice says “Hermes, brother, what’re you doing here?”

Persephone stands in the door way, dresses in a yellow blouse with floral designs and cuffed jeans. Hades is dressed in a plain black suit.   
  
He smiles at her and they hug. 

“I was just catching up with Zoe here.” Hermes says.   
“Well, thank the gods I rescued you, then.”

She turns to me with a curt nod. “I believe we have an appointment?”

I nod back.

We say bye to Hermes and the three of us gather in the living room.   
  
“What were you and Hermes talkin’ about?” Persephone asks. 

“Orpheus.”

There’s a sudden, tense silence. I guess Orpheus is a touchy subject between immortals these days. 

“You know something about Orpheus, Zoe?” She says. “You have a lot in common with him. But there’s one major difference. Unlike _you_, I actually _liked _Orpheus.”

“Is that who you think you are?” Hades asks me. “Orpheus, just another hero, trying to bend fate?”

_ Who do you think you are_? I try to ignore the voice in my head as I face him. “Sir, with all do respect, you said you were willing to try.”

He looks at Persephone. “Oh, I am, I love my wife. But, I don’t appreciate it when stupid, young, mortals try and upset the law of the land.”

”Oh, I’m not trying to do that at all sir. I came down here for one reason: to fix your marriage, and make the world above work how it should.”

”So, how was the challenge?” I ask, changing the subject. 

“It was...good.” Persephone says surprisingly. “It was... _nice_ to do that, I guess. I had a sense of...peace, which is something I haven’t felt in a while, down here.”

I smile. “Good.”

“Yes, it was nice to just be there with you, lover. I’ve missed your presence.” Hades says.

Persephone snorts and I shoot her a look.

“Alright, so, next topic. When do you each feel your relationship _first _went down hill? What are your individual issues with each other?”

Hades starts, and I write down his name and draw a column to list out his issues.

“Well, I’ll admit that I didn’t think about it until after I let Persephone leave for good, but...I suppose it all fell apart when we first reached the seasonal agreement. I knew that Persephone had to leave but, I was _jealous _of the thought of her in the sun, enjoying the world above, and I thought, well, I thought she wouldn’t return. After all, why would someone as perfect as her stay with a man who’s the runt of his brother’s, who’s domain brings nothing but misery. But every Fall, she returned, and it gave me _hope__, _only for it to leave with Persephone once Spring returned.”

”Hades, I _wanted _to return.”

I start to yell at Persephone for interrupting, but I notice a kindness in her eyes, so I let her continue. 

“After all, there’s only so much of my mama I can take.” She smiles and looks back at her husband. “And I know the Earth must die, but then it comes back to life, too.” 

She continues. “It...took me a while, but I _did _come for love, eventually. Perhaps I would have stayed longer if it weren’t for those _d*mn _pomegranates—“

”I _did _tell you about eating food of the Underworld—“

”And yet you stood there and watched as I ate them?”

“No interrupting.” I warn them. I turn to Persephone. “Persephone, do you feel that those Pomegranates were the downfall of your marriage?”

”I—“

I prepare a separate column for her as she searches for the words.

”I...knew not to eat the food of the dead, that is true. But the pomegranates looked so _enticing_, though I suppose that was the point. I just,” she turns to Hades. “You should have _stopped _me!”

”How?”

”Yelled at me to drop them, knocked them out of my hand, hell, barreled into me for all I care!”

“What exactly do those pomegranates signify to you?” I ask the woman.

”They signify that,” she glares at Hades, “that you—“

”I” I correct. “Use ‘I’ statements.”

She rolls her eyes, but continues.

“_I _feel that when you let me eat those pomegranates, you were _tricking _me into staying with you, so you could _control _me, and quite frankly I feel that your so called ‘love’ for me is instead a need to control.”

She points to the window. “I mean, what do you call that?”

”Those people _chose _to come here.”

“Did they?”

There’s a harsh silence. I clear my throat. “Thank you. You both have great points that we’ll address more tomorrow, but for now I ask, are there any rules you have to follow while your here, Persephone?”

”I’m not allowed to interact with the workers. Though granted, I never actually followed that.”

”Well, that’s your homework. Do whatever you want, free of charge.”

”And,” I turn to Hades, “you sir, must let her.

”With no ulterior motives.” I add as he opens mouth.

We depart and I watch the couple leave. Persephone has a certain swing in her step that’s not drunken and isn’t as sarcastic as before, and Hades seems to be more at peace. Maybe, I actually done some good this time.


	7. Doubt comes in

“So, how was last night’s homework?” I ask Persephone. She’s dressed in a black, velvet robe. Her hair flows freely, and there’s something _off _about her that scares me. Hades is his usual self.   
  
Persephone rolls her head and turns to me with a frightening grin. “Oh, it was _great_.” 

I look at Hades, and find him with a passive look on his face. It’s the kind you get when you’re _used _to something, and suddenly it hits me like puberty. 

I look at the woman in shock. “I...Persephone, what did you _do _last night?”

“Just what you told. I hung out with some old friends.”

Oh god, her speech is slurred. Wait, why am I freaking out? I put my head in my hands and try to take some deep breaths, block out the pounding of my heart.

“Are you _drunk_?” 

She lets out a giggle. “Maybe.”

I let out a shaky breath, then round on her. “God _d*mmit _Persephone, I thought you were gonna try!” 

She cocks her head. “The hell you mean? Of course I’m tryin’, I’ve stayed down here, did I not?”

I press my hands against my temples and fight the urge to scream. “I told you to get sober!”

“But did you put in the contract?” Persephone quips. I let out an audible moan. 

“Oh, god, you can’t even listen to me for like, two days! What the hell was I thinking, I can’t do this! I can’t _fix the world_! I mean, they say it’s fate, right? The world was gonna end eventually. Who the _f*ck _am I to stop it?! The wind changes, and so does the planet. And now, I’ve gone and killed myself for _nothing_! I’ll _never see my parents again_!” 

“Zoe—“ I hear concern in Hades’ voice, but I don’t care. I practically leap off the ground as I head for the door. 

“I need some air.”

* * *

Let’s face it, there’s no air down here. I just needed to get away.   
There’s a million voices screaming in my head, and I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m sitting on a hill, facing the little bar between two of the buildings. I’m seriously considering getting a bottle. Hypocrite be d*mned, I need _it _to stop. 

“It won’t help.” 

I jump in shock. A girl has sat down beside me. She’s wearing a workers uniform, and she has a messy, black bob, and her skin is so pale it’s translucent. Her eyes though, haunt me the most. They’re black, and _empty_, yet, at the same time, they look as though they’ve seen a world of sadness. 

“You can read my thoughts?”

She laughs, or at least, I _think _she does. It’s a sound that’s empty in emotion, and seems incredibly forced. “No, you spoke out loud.”

“Oh.”

“I’m Zoe.” I say as we shake hands. 

“I’m...” She pauses and frowns, searching for it. “It doesn’t matter. The point is, drinks won’t help you.”

“How do you know?”

“‘Cause it ain’t _you _who’s saying that stuff, it’s _them_.”

I follow her fingers to three figures in the distance. They’re all dressed alike in silver. 

”Who are they?”

”They’re the Fates. They sit there on your shoulder, whispering poisonous songs into your ears, trying to get you loose.”

I glare at them, but they just laugh, and the dark skinned one sends me an infuriating wave. 

The girl clears her throat, and I turn back to her. 

“I also...wanted to tell you that I _believe _in you Zoe.”

”Excuse me?”

”I _believe _that you can help mister Hades and Lady Persephone. Help the world.”

”You know about that?”

The girl smiles, something that seems very foreign and forced. “Yeah, well, walls have ears.”

A whistle blows in the distance, and we both jump. The girl scrambles up. “I have to go, I’ve skipped my shift.” She starts to go, but turns back to me. “Zoe?”

“Yeah?”

“Look, just, _believe _in yourself, okay? Believe in how the world could be, ‘cause...” she pauses, and seems to, for a moment, remember _something_. “‘Cause not everyone can have that hope.”

I watch the girl go. She’s right, hope’s a foreign concept at this point, but _not to me_. I turn to the fates with a smile, flip them the bird, and race back to the manor.

* * *

As I’m turning the corner to the living room, I ram into Persephone.  
“Oh, it’s you.” I say, crossing my arms. 

“Yeah, it’s me. I’ve been looking for you.”

”Oh? What do you want?”

”Look, the alcohol’s pretty much worn off by this point, so can we talk? I’ve got some ‘splaining to do.”

I snort. “You sure do, but fine.” 

She smiles. “Let’s take a walk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I’m not dead! Sorry Hades is pretty out of character, I don’t really know how to write him. Also sorry for the censored swearing. I know it’s unprofessional, but if I want my parents to read my stuff, I have to.


	8. The Other Side of His Wall

I struggle to keep up with Persephone as we walk. Her strides are long and wide, and I find myself watching her steps with wide-eyed wonder, as with every step, flowers bloom in her wake. 

She smiles at my wonder, and I quickly switch over to my resting b*tch face. I’m still pissed about earlier. This just makes her laugh, and I huff, stopping in my tracks. 

“Okay, what’s the point of this? We’ve been walking for twenty minutes and you haven’t said a word.” 

Persephone stops and looks at me. “What do you _notice_, Zoe? Besides my flowers, of course.” 

“Uhh...” I say, very intellectually. “I notice...” suddenly I realize something. Persephone’s flowers have all _wilted_ in the five minutes we’ve been standing here. “They’re....”

“Dead?” Persephone says. “Yeah, life don’t last to long down here, does it?” 

I look at her suspiciously. “What are you trying to show me?” 

She gently turns me around in a circle. “Look. What do you see, Zoe?” 

I look. I see rolling fields of gray and black. Black grass, black dirt, black buildings. I see an endless line of factories, chugging out thick, heavy plumes of gray smoke. I see a white mansion, up on a big black hill. I see bits of blinding white lights, glaring down on the world below. I see people, people who move like they aren’t really _people _at all. I see a bleak, gray wall that seems to stretch out to the end of the Earth. I see... 

“I see...Hell.” I finally voice. 

Persephone sighs and looks at me with heavy eyes. “I know there’s a million different things people believe about the afterlife, but what do _you_ believe?” 

I shrug. “I haven’t really thought about it.” I pause and think. “I guess, if I were to have an ideal afterlife, it would be a place where, if you hadn’t been a total piece of crap, you’d get to be _at peace_, I guess. If you were unredeemable, you’d have to live with your sins.”

“And what’s your definition of ‘at peace?’”

“Umm, you wouldn’t have to worry, I guess. You’d know you were like, forgiven of your sins. You’d been good in the end, so you’d get to be happy and live with good memories.”

Persephone jerks her head to the people who are working. “You think they were all bad people?”

“No.”

“You think they get to be at peace?”

“No?” I answer hesitantly. 

Persephone sighs. “Do they _look _at peace to you, Zoe?”

I squint down at the people. They don’t look like _anything_, really. They move like robots, doing their tasks. I think of the girl with blank eyes and memories. I shake my head.

Persephone gives a harsh laugh. “Exactly.” We watch the work below us before she says “How much do you know about Greek Mythology?”

“Hermes taught me a little.”   
  


“Well, it wasn’t always like this. _This _isn’t what the Underworld was built for.” She takes a breath, collecting her thoughts. “In the beginning of time, the Underworld was simply a place. It’s main domain was Tartarus, a place that was meant to be a hellish half life, a place for immortals and monsters to suffer for their sins. My _dear _husband inherited it, and that was that. Once humans were created, and started, well, dying, the Underworld needed to be renovated. Hades hired Thanatos, who was meant to take mortals lives, and Charon, who was to guide them to their afterlife. As a wide variety of souls came, Hades set up a system. There were three places one could go when they died. If you were an exceptional human, or died a heroes death, you’d go to Elysium, which was pretty much paradise. Then, there was The Fields of Asphodel, who’s residents were people who had simply lived. Finally, there was The Fields of Punishment, which was reserved for the worst of the worst. If you went to Elysium, you got to keep your good memories. In Asphodel, you knew nothing. And in The Fields of Punishment, well, I hope you like reliving all your worst. That’s a little like your afterlife, I guess. Anyway, a group of three wisest souls would try your crimes and decide where you went, and that’s how it worked for a few millennia. But somewhere along the way, Hades lost touch, forgot who he was. He wants to update this place? Go right ahead. But this? This ain’t it. None of it is.”

She looks at me with pleading eyes. “Look Zoe, you certainly aren’t my favorite person, but” she takes another breath “I need you. _We _need you. Orpheus could sing his song, but he couldn’t even save his _own _relationship, much less _ours_. You wanna breathe life back into Earth, then you need to breathe life back into _here_, cause I’ve given up trying.”

I take a shaky breath. “I know, and I’m trying. But honestly? I don’t know where to start. I mean, there’s just so _much_.” 

I look around and suddenly a realization hits me. “Wait a second, this is capitalism! Hades is trying to fix your relationship with capitalism!” I turn to Persephone wild eyes “Yeah, you definitely need my help.”  
  


She laughs. “I’ll tell you what, Zoe. How about I start actually giving a d*mn, and you lay off me a bit, alright?”

“Okay.”

Persephone stretches and starts to walk. “Come on, let’s go talk to my husband.”

Just before we enter the living room, Persephone looks at me. “You know what you’re name means in Greek, Zoe?”

“No.”

“It means life.”


	9. Promises

Hades is waiting in the living room when we enter. He raises an eyebrow at Persephone and me.

"What have you two been doing?"

"Walking.

"And you know, I realized something on our walk," I continue, flopping into my chair.

"Oh?"

"Yes, I've had a revelation."

Persephone smirks, knowing what I'm about to say, and I shoot her a glare before continuing.

"I have realized that there is a lot more to ya'lls relationship than I initially realized. I've realized that while the pomegranates are certainly a big issue in your marriage, there's a deeper meaning to that. The downfall of your relationship seems to be rooted in a lack of communication. You both are _so _willing to jump to conclusions, so afraid of listening. eager to villainize the other, that you've forgotten how to _talk_, how to have a _constructive, civil disagreement_. You've forgotten how to _be in love_. And, this lack of communication? It doesn't just affect you. Unfortunately, you're both gods, and you're responsible for how mortals fair. This lack of communication throws off the seasons, worsens global warming, leads to" I shudder "_unregulated capitalism_." 

I look at the former lovers "So I highly suggest you learn how to communicate, _properly_, because forcing y'all to do it is too much work."

Persephone looks at me. I don't think I said what she expected "I see your point, Zoe, but, you _are _aware that I'm not the only responsible for global warming, right?" 

"Yeah, that's why I said _worsens_, not _causes_. I'm just trying to emphasize the fact that you're actions affect others."

"Let me let you in on a little secret," Persephone says. She leans into me.

"We immortals _know _our actions affect mortals, we just don't_ care_."

I sigh. "Unfortunately, we mortals share that sentiment.

"Anyway, I went off a little off-topic there, back to business. So, communication. Remind me again Persephone, what do pomegranates signify to you?"

"I would say that they signify a betrayal. They signify the first time I realized this relationship wasn't all I thought it was."

"Okay, good. and Hades, what do the pomegranates mean to you?"

"They represent the first time I...failed...in my relationship. I didn't do enough to stop Persephone. I failed her trust. And I failed myself because part of me _let _her eat them, I didn't trust myself to keep her in my arms."

_Interesting_. I can tell this statement intrigues Persephone, because she looks at Hades with a newfound look in her eyes. She's not mad, as I expected her to be, she feels _pity_, I think.

"Thank you sir, for that. So, we have a similarity here. _Betrayal_. Of a lover, and of yourself. Persephone, you feel betrayed at not being warned about the pomegranates, and you feel it was an instance of control. I would assume, then, that you want your relationship to be built on trust, correct?"

"Yes."

"And Hades, the pomegranates being a betrayal to yourself insinuates that you want to be _confident_ in yourself, right?"

"I--yes."

I smile. "Honestly, me too. But this isn't about me. We're almost out of time, but I'd like to do something before I give ya'll your assignment. Search your minds for what each other's statements meant. Promise each other that thing."

Persephone gives Hades a warm, _genuine_ smile and takes his hands. "Hades, I _promise_ that I would never have left if you hadn't given me a reason."

I glare at her. "That's _not _what I meant."

She takes a breath. "I mean, I _promise _that I will _never _abandon you, Hades. I loved--_love _you, and nothing will _ever_ change that, even if it's hard sometimes."

"And _I _ promise you, Persephone, that I _never _meant to betray your trust. And I promise never to betray you again. I love you, lover, truly."

I blink back the tears forming in my eyes. _This _is progress. I realize that I can actually do something, and it feels pretty darn good.

I don't think I have to assign them to keep it.

"Great job, guys. So, trust and confidence are synonyms, they have things in common. You need to trust yourself in order to have confidence, and you need confidence in order to trust yourself. Your assignment is to work on building each other's confidence and trust. Hades, you will engage in trust-building exercises with Persephone. You are both going to tell each other five secrets about yourself. You must be open to each other's secrets, and you can _not _judge each other. Try to look at each other in the eye when doing this. Persephone, I'd like you to find five things that you like about Hades and tell him your compliments. Make sure it's obvious you're genuine. Okay?'

"Okay."


End file.
